User reviews

First,while the film is not-rated I would give it a rating of PG-13,because of some of the subject matter. The film does a beautiful job of demonstrating how people have a universal desire to be a part of a family.It's a sweet story how two people who are separated by thousands of miles can still effect one another greatly.Redemption,purpose, and life's ongoing search to love and be loved are strong themes throughout the film.While I did enjoy the movie,I would have liked to have seen the film-makers give more attention to the earliest years in the orphanage and the hardships Mei Mei had to endure. Overall,you'll come away from watching 33 Postcards feeling happy.

This film was beautifully conceived, and started well. The characters are deft, subtle, and well-played by the excellent cast.

Leading into the last act, though, the characters start behaving erratically, with no discernible motivation. Sadly, the movie overall fails to recover, and it ends up being a frustrating experience. A great deal of potential, squandered in an apparent attempt to generate conflict, which in the end feels unbelievable.

Worth a watch, if you like any of the actors in particular, as their performances are still quite good, even from newcomer Zhu Lin as the delightfully naive-yet-savvy Mei Mei ("Little Sister").

This is a quirky and touching movie about a sixteen year-old orphan from China, Mei-Mei, (played with pluck and naïveté by then newcomer Zhu Lin), who travels to Sydney, Australia with a children's choir and slips away to meet and thank the man whose financial donations sponsored her education; as important to her, her sponsor's steady stream of postcards about his perfect life provided her love, support and hope.

Her journey to find Dean Randall, (played by one of my screen favorites, Guy Pearce), is a surprising one. She learns that he is a convicted killer serving time in prison where he is up for parole, and the stories he wrote in his postcards were of a fantasy life. Dean is portrayed as being a sort of killer with a heart of gold, which was hard to swallow except for the fact that Guy Pearce is so likable.

The film passed quickly and gently. Mei-Mei and Dean form a bond, which he resists at first out of shame. It's a touching idea, however the screenplay was full of holes and the direction lacked finesse. The actors did the best they could in this production.

If you enjoy movies about people, relationships, overcoming adversity, and can appreciate movies without CGI, this is a good film about two people reaching across a world to form an unselfish relationship. The story, directing and acting are all excellent. Characters are well-developed and- contrary to some ratings- well fleshed out. Some people will rate this at the top of their favorites. Others my only find it so-so. But it's a good film without gratuitous language, gore or over-the-top CGI. There are few of such these days. For those who rated this 1-3 stars... I pity such jaded opinions who have lost their ability to appreciate basic good film making. Such negative reviews are unrealistic and unwarranted.

This is a well-done movie.

I'm not too sure why I decided to watch this film, but I am so happy that I did! This film is so emotional and meaningful; it's just so beautiful! It's not a big blockbuster smash hitting film, so if that's what you are looking for then you will be disappointed! However, if you want to see a really stunning film with such an amazing storyline, then I recommend you watch 33 postcards.

Guy Pearce plays an excellent role in this film and carries his character through perfect.

The meaning behind this film is what I liked so much about it. It just makes me think about life and how amazing it is. For a film to get so much of an emotional response out of me is great. This film needs to be watched and given the credit it deserves.

I give 10/10 on the vote for 33 postcards, mainly because of the beauty. The work and emotion that has gone into this film as well as the emotion that has came out makes it such a worthy film of ten stars.

Wow, please give this film a chance, you won't regret it. I promise.

I hadn't heard of 33 Postcards and stumbled upon it online, there was no good reason to watch it, but I did and I'm so glad I did. It isn't the usual blockbuster drama, but weaves emotion like no other.

I'm (for lack of a better word) gob smacked! The film's and the performances' simplicity and earnestness blew me away. It created the magic of an international film with the determined oriental passion. I owe thanks to Pauline Chan, Philip Dalkin and Martin Edmond for wiping the blues away from my evening. And very specially to Guy Pearce, who acted with so much care for the story!

You take away a lot of food for thought, in terms of changing priorities, innocence and holding your ground. I've just watched an amazing movie and that it moved me so much that I cared to register on IMDb to write a review for it, says a lot to the movie's credit.

Do watch it, you will not regret it.

Australia certainly has a knack for producing depressing films, and this is one of their finest efforts. If I want to be depressed I'll turn on the news. I don't see any reason to bring more sadness into the world.

Initially the story looks promising and indeed could have become moving and uplifting. However, much like the unfortunate characters portrayed, it plunges into an inescapable spiral of gloom and misfortune.

Pearce is certainly on top form here, but his character is so pathetic and easily manipulated that it is difficult not to despise those around him - basically everyone else in the movie.

Technically good films don't work unless there is an inspirational or entertaining story to tell. This one perhaps was intended to be uplifting but misses the mark by a mile. Poor effort indeed.

It is incredible how hard it is to write a good story and yet this film takes the simple premise of an orphaned Chinese girl sponsored into schooling by a benefactor she has never met except via postcards and letters and turns it into an achingly good two hours of entertainment.

Mei Mei, Little Sister (Zhu Lin), is a sixteen year old whose life in a Chinese Orphanage has been supported by regular payments made by Dean Randall (Guy Pearce). Mei Mei is training to be the conductor of a children's choir who are to tour in Australia which is where the bulk of this film takes place.

The plot and screenplay are developed with such simple brushstrokes you know there is a masterpiece being painted before our eyes. And this film doesn't let you down through all its wonderful and deft touches. Even the violent scenes are made to fit the delicate canvass the whole is painted upon, and we are never driven to the need for explicit artistic license.

The soundtrack too is so finely tuned to the images, with some breathtaking choral singing at appropriate moments. The acting is strong, brilliant from Zhu Lin and Guy Pearce, and only occasionally overstated by the support. The script is just wonderful but then the message from this film is wonderful too.

Recommended viewing. Nine out of ten.

I can't comprehend how this movie has such a poor rating.. I checked it before I watched the film so I was not expecting much but giving it a crack; mainly because I love Claudia Karven.. Now I'm one to check my phone throughout a film, especially for the first 30 or so minutes but this film had me 100% focused from start to finish; a long with lump in my throat and a hand on my heart. I had to review it just so I could talk about it, because I'm sitting here absolutely touched by this film. I hope the actors are proud of it despite the reviews.. You can tell they put their everything in it and it showed by how quick I connected with each character.

I love Australian film and 33 Postcards reminds me why I have such a place for it in my heart.

Unbelievable. Not worth watching. Finally it was over.

I don't come on here and say much... only when I feel like it is needed. When I read the previous reviews and saw the low IMDb score, I figured something was wrong somewhere? I am so glad, I trusted the previous viewers and went with my gut on this one. What a fabulous movie. It was nicely written, engaging and you really care for the characters and what happens to them. It was a very heart-felt story. This is really what love is all about. The acting was great... guy Pearce was awesome as always and Zhu Lin was also exceptional. All in all a great watch and I am truly glad that I was a part of the experience. Hats off to the actors, writers and directors well done!

I give this film 10 out of 10, because I could not think of anything wrong with it. I am really a: blockbuster; action/sci-fi; anti-chickflick movie fan.

However when one has seen just about everything, one decides to watch the unseen movies available. This film being one of them.

The reviews on here helped me to get the guts to give it a go. I can tell you that this film truly is amazing. I will not say anything about it except, this is a masterpiece of the feel good movie genre.

From start to finish I was glued to it and the time seem to fly by while I was watching it. Most of the film is in English, but the Chinese dialogue was supported perfectly by subtitles, which were very easy to read.

This film is only for people with good in their heart. If that is you, it is a must see before you die film! :D

How beautiful, so intense, it was not the happy ending I wanted, but so intense, passionate, extremely beautiful and emotional, like not falling in love with Mei Mei's naivete and determination, all beautiful, that we disregard all the holes in the script that I later found out after research... Joint production between China and Australia... Beautiful...

Simply a lovely film to watch. Engaging, quirky characters and mostly understated performances pull you in to the story of this very kind young orphan determined to meet her sponsor while on a cultural trip to Australia. So glad this did not get the typical Hollywood treatment, which would have taken a lot of its power away. Guy Pearce, who is the best known of the cast was a generous star by not stepping on his fellow actors and playing his part well in this ensemble. There was a lead, and that was Lin Zhu playing Mei Mei and she played her character with a sweet charm that wins you over right away and you want her to be safe and achieve her dreams. This film will stay with me.